Combined collar stiffener and necktie support



July 12, 1949. E. wlMMER 2,475,931

COMBINED COLLAR STIFFENER AND NECKTIE SUPPORT Filed May 2, 1947 Roy E. l V/mmer Patented July 12, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE COMBINED COLLAR STIFFENER AND NECKTIE SUPPORT 1 Claim.

This invention relates to improvements in wearing apparel, and more particularly to an improved collar support and necktie holder to be worn inside of a shirt collar to support the collar against collapsing, and to maintain the tie against folding or wrinkling and render it easily slidable in the collar.

It is among the objects of the invention to provide an improved collar stiffener and necktie support that is simple in construction and economical to manufacture, that extends the entire height and completely around the collar to hold the collar in proper shape, and is of thin section with no outstanding projections so that it does not cause any bulges or wrinkles in the collar, that is not attached to the collar, thus avoiding any danger of tearing or injuring the material of the collar, and does not require any uncomfortable projections inside of the collar, that is completely invisible when properly inserted in a collar, and is of such durable material and construction that it can be used for a long period of time and transferred from one collar to another.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from a consideration of the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawing wherein:

Figure 1 is a, perspective view of a combined collar stiffener and necktie holder illustrative of the invention.

Figure 2 is a perspective view showing a shirt collar and a necktie and a combined collar stiffener and necktie holder illustrative of the invention applied thereto; and

Figure 3 is a perspective view of a somewhat modified form of an improved collar stiffener and necktie holder.

With continued reference to the drawing, the improved combined collar stiffener and necktie holder comprises a strip or band of thin, resilient material having sufficient structural rigidity to hold a collar in proper shape. The device may conveniently be formed of such material as heavy crinoline, one or more layers of a suitable textile fabric having a stiffening composition applied thereto, a thin sheet of suitable synthetic resin plastic or Celluloid or various other materials having the desired physical properties.

The strip or band In is made of a width to extend substantially the entire height of a shirt collar to maintain the collar in proper shape, and of a length to substantially completely surround the collar band. At its end the strip is preferably out at an angle, as indicated at H, which angle conforms to the front opening of the collar, the

ends of the strip being somewhat spaced apart when the stiffener is in operative position in the collar, as illustrated in Figure 2, so that no portion of the stiffener is visible. The strip is pro-- vided with a plurality of rectangular apertures [2, four such apertures being shown in the illustrated construction. These apertures are disposed one near each end of the strip or band, and one at each side of the mid-length location thereof. The necktie I3 is applied to the holder by threading the small end of the tie successively through the apertures beginning at the outside of one end of the strip or band. These apertures have a length substantially equal to the width of the small-end portion of the tie and when the tie is properly threaded through the apertures, the device effectively holds it against folding or wrinkling, and renders it easily slidable in the collar. In the modified arrangement shown in Figure 3, the strip or band l4 corresponding to the strip II of Figures 1 and 2, has applied externaily to each edge portion thereof, a narrow reinforcing strip IS. The reinforcing strips may be made separate and secured to the main strip M by sewing or cementing them thereon, or the edge portion of the main strip may be folded over to provide a hem along each edge thereof which thickens the main strip at its edges to provide the desired reinforcement, or in the case of a strip or a band formed of Celluloid or plastic material, the edges may be thickened to provide reinforcing means.

The strip i4 is provided with the tie-receiving aperture l6 corresponding to the aperture ['2 of Figures 1 and 2, and if desired, may have a plurality of spaced-apart, transversely-arranged reinforcing strips I! applied to the outer surface thereof. In the arrangement illustrated, there are four such reinforcing strips I'l extending transversely across the strip l4, adjacent the apertures IS, with their ends attached to the reinforcing strips !5, the strips l5 being of sufiicient thickness to permit the tie to pass between the transverse reinforcing strips [1 and the portion of the main strip I l between the longitudinal reinforcing strips I5.

This improved collar stiffener and necktie holder is of thin, lightweight, durable construction, and is entirely invisible when properly applied in a shirt collar, as is clearly shown in Figure 2. It has no projections, hooks, or buttons which would break or wrinkle the collar or tear or injure the fabric of the shirt collar and tie, and is effective in maintaining both the collar and tie in proper shape and position, and rendering the tie 3 easy to slide through the collar while the knot is being tied.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof, The present embodiments are, therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claim rather than by the foregoing description, and all-changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claim are, therefore, intended to be embraced therein.

What is claimed is:

A combined collar stifiener and necktie holder, comprising a strip of thin, flexible material having narrow reinforcing strips secured one along each longitudinal edge thereof, spaced reinforcing strips extending transversely of such stifiener with their ends attached to said longitudinal re- 4 inforcing strips, said stifiener having necktiereceiving apertures therein between said reinforcing strips disposed one near each end of said stifiener, and one at each side of the mid-length location thereof.

ROY E. WIMMER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

